[Medullary thyroid carcinoma--personal observations]

The paper presents the rules of surgical treatment in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid gland based on own experience and survey of literature. Changing trends in diagnostic and therapeutic approach were described. The results achieved encouraged authors to find some conclusions. Long term results of therapy depend mostly on stage of disease in time of initial surgery, radicality of primary operation and further supportive treatment. Systematic follow-up after surgery makes it possible to early detect the recurrence and has an influence on survival rate. In cases of poorly differentiated medullary thyroid cancer even radical surgical procedure followed by the appropriate supportive treatment results in a not satisfactory survival.